Home Remedies for Tinea Cruris

Tinea cruris, commonly referred to as jock itch, is a fungal skin infection that mainly affects the inner thighs, groin area, and the buttocks.

It is caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes that like to grow on skin that’s moist and warm and thrive in areas where skin comes into contact with other skin. Some symptoms of jock itch are red rashes on the affected area, burning sensation, itching and peeling of the skin.

This infection is common among people who sweat a lot. It can affect both men and women, but men are more likely to get it. Also, overweight people and those with diseases like AIDS or diabetes are more prone to tinea cruris.

Regularly wearing tight clothing and living in hot and humid climates are other factors that increase the chance of developing this infection.

Excessive scratching can severely damage your skin, so you need to treat this problem as quickly as possible. Before running to the drug store for over-the-counter medicine, you can try some simple and inexpensive home remedies.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for tinea cruris.

1. Tea Tree Oil

As tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties, it is often used to treat different fungal infections including tinea cruris. This stimulating oil with strong antibacterial properties can give instant relief from itching and inflammation when it’s applied to the infected area.

Put a few drops of tea tree oil on a cotton ball. If you have sensitive skin, then use the oil after diluting it with coconut oil. You can dilute 10 to 15 drops with two tablespoons of base oil.

Gently press it on the affected area.

Allow the oil to dry on its own.

Follow this remedy twice daily for a few days until your symptoms disappear.

For effective results, you can also use soap or shower gel containing tea tree oil, or simply soak in bath water mixwed with a few drops of tea tree oil.

Note: Before applying tea tree oil, it is advisable to test a drop of this essential oil on a patch of skin to determine sensitivity.

2. Salt

Bathing with salt water is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to treat tinea cruris. Salt will speed up the healing process as well as help control the growth of the fungus causing the infection.

Fill the bathtub with lukewarm water.

Add two cups of regular table salt to it and stir it in thoroughly.

Soak in this warm solution for half an hour.

Do this twice a day for at least one month for best results.

The same process can be done with Epsom salt.

3. Garlic

Garlic is well known for its antifungal properties and can effectively treat tinea cruris. It will stop the fungus from spreading as well as give you instant relief from itching and inflammation.

Put three to four fresh garlic cloves and one teaspoon of olive oil in a blender. Blend it until you have a smooth paste. Spread the paste on the affected skin. Follow this remedy two or three times daily until you get rid of the infection.

Alternatively, mix five to six crushed garlic cloves and one teaspoon of honey. Apply the mixture on the infected area and allow it to dry on its own. Then wash the area with normal water. Do this twice daily to get positive results.

Also, use fresh garlic when cooking or take a garlic supplement daily to speed up healing.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Getting rid of tinea cruris is easy with apple cider vinegar. The acidic property of apple cider vinegar helps kill the fungus and stop the infection from spreading rapidly. Also, it helps draw out extra moisture from the infected area, which in turn speeds up the healing process.

Make a solution of two cups of water and one-half cup of apple cider vinegar. Wash the affected area with antiseptic soap. Then soak a clean washcloth in the mixture and apply it to the affected skin. Allow it to dry on its own. Then clean the area with a wet cloth and pat it dry. Follow this remedy twice daily for several weeks.

Fill a spray bottle with equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water. Spray the solution liberally on the affected area. Allow the area to air dry. Repeat two times daily until you get the desired results.

5. Indian Lilac

Indian Lilac, also known as neem, is used to treat many skin problems including tinea cruris. It has antifungal properties that help eliminate the fungus that causes tinea cruris. Plus, it has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties that help in the healing process.

Grind equal amounts of neem leaves and turmeric root powder to form a paste. Apply the paste on the affected skin. Allow it to dry on its own. Finally rinse with lukewarm water and pat it dry. Follow this remedy once daily for several months to prevent the fungus from spreading.

Apply pure neem oil directly on the affected area and massage gently until the oil penetrates deep into the skin. Wait a few minutes and then take a bath. Follow this process daily for a few months to help soothe itching and speed up healing.

You can also apply a mixture of one-half teaspoon of neem oil and one cup of aloe vera gel on the affected area once daily for a few days until the infection clears.

6. Onion

The presence of antibiotic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties in onions help kill the fungus that causes jock itch.

Put one medium-sized onion in a grinder to make a paste.

Apply the paste on the infected skin.

Allow it to sit for half an hour.

Rinse with lukewarm water and dry the area well with a blow dryer.

Follow this remedy once daily until your condition improves.

Also, use onion in your cooking or add onion slices in your salad to help speed up the healing process.

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15 Comments

John

I have had jock itch on and off for several years. Ive wasted a lot of money on pharmaceuticals, antifungal creams and what not. I followed the labels religiously and they still didnt work. I came close with Canestan once but the infection came back while I was using it. Dont waste your money on them. Ive also tried a lot of the remedies on this site, most of them helped but didnt cure it. The one that did was a mixture of tea tree oil and coconut oil. I cant recommend it more highly. It was amazing. Second day of use itching was gone and the rash subsiding. Third day rash almost gone, and on the fourth GONE! The mixture I use is: 3 Tablespoons of Virgin Coconut oil 20 drops of Thursday Plantation 100% pure Tea Tree oil Mix it in a container, if the coconut oil is to hard, just put it in the microwave for a few seconds to get a nice thick paste consistency. Apply 1-3 times a day, I recommend 3 times a day however it is a little bit messy and if you cant then as often as you can. Trust me when I say Ive tried everything. This one was my savior.

John

Just to add to this dont stop using it after four days. Keep using it until you’re completely sure the infection is gone. Once the rash goes away I recommend to keep applying it once a day after a shower for at least a couple of weeks, but my god coconut oil make your skin feel so good I might keep it up forever (it smells amazing too).

Houdaloth

Here in the UK you can buy Tea tree oil from Superdrug as well as Holland and Barrett, it’s more cheaper in Superdrug at £2.99 i bought it for. Also coconut oil is very cheap at a Wholefoods shop, I found the price a rip off at Holland and Barrett

DK

Houdaloth

Hi John thanks for the info, I am trying this now and was lucky as i had coconut oil already and just went and bought tea tree oil from Superdrug. I will update you on my progress. I was given Cloritamazole and later Trimovate which i stopped using. Coconut oil has to be used to dilute the tree tea oil as on it’s on it will cause the skin to react and it actually inflammed by groin.

Rakesh mehta

Lee cooper

Hey..after reading this blog I’ve tried a combination of 2 teaspoon of coconut oil a small piece of onion and a small piece of garlic all blended together into a semisolid form .The moment after I applied it started to burn the affected area like hell..and I can assure you that this combination is the best if you wanna get rid of this skin problem..and I warn you that the burning will last almost an hour.. Its nothing but the affected area being get repaired.. 🙂

Lee cooper

Christopher Hogarth

Yes me also. I have been to the doc 4 -5 times. I do not think she know’s what it is. I have spent quite a lot of money on useless things she recommended to me. I am disabled and sit in a wheelchair most of the day. So my crotch is a typical place to have it. I will definitely try some of the above recipes. Thank you to all who sent them in.

Jack

TO JOHN’S RECIPE ABOVE: A great one I’m sure. I have the ingredients before me as I type, I have yet to use it as it has only been in the house an hour or so. I bought the Coconut Oil at GNC for about $1/oz. And they are having a sale of BUY ONE get the next item 50% off. So I bought their pricey Tea Oil normally $14/oz for $7 bringing in line with other stores.

The reason I did not rocket to the bathroom tearing cloths off on the way to apply this is the received a gift last night. Finally, after a week of the worst bout I’ve ever had I am feeling promoted relieft, near normal. But it has been the worst and most stubborn and like you said I’ve thrown all kinds of creams. 1% hydrocortisone / 40% zinc oxide (Desitin) / anti-itch creams and all of them at times at the same time. Finally late yesterday afternoon I read an article about this fungi and found I had something in the house I use in other applications. All this week I have used the Desitin type product and had talc with zinc oxide 15% which I used liberally. Actually sometimes I think that thick Desitin type stuff dried so much to eliminate moisture it promoted chaffing. That’s why I think John’s rememdy of coconut oil is going to be a nice finish up. Reduce the chafe. But I continue ….

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – most drink it as I do. It restored doby pH. It cannot be the pastuerized watered down store apple vinegar stuff. You have to go to a health store or Google BRAGGS ACV. Not likely the regular store have it but you can try. I mixed 1/4 cup ACV to water (I used distilled to eliminate chlorine and any other stray bacteria). Put it in a small spray bottle and sprayed the heck out of the affected area and let it sit before using a blow dryer. I recommend against towel drying. It chaffes and can have bacteria in it. Blow dry, thoroughly!!! Every crevice.

BUT .. before that I used a remedy I’d used before for lesser bouts. Cotton ball doused liberally with Hydrogen Peroxide, using many to drench the area. It stings a litte but not nearly as much as the affected area. Then I sprayed the ACV. Here’s another thing that goes along with the “GARLIC” recommendation above, which most probably ignored. I had on hand “GARLIC SHAMPOO” … yes! This shampoo advertises that germs and bacteria hate garlic. A bell when off. I have garlic here! I am using this garlic shampoo to wash the “whole” effected area, liberally.

One more thing I haven’t mentioned. I also took EPSON SALTS BATHS and always felt better after them. Hard for this big body to get in the small tub the folks purchased years ago but you do what you have to do. 3 cups of Epson Salts and soak at least a half hour.

Now,today for the first in about 6 days I went out, and I feel no worse after going in many stores to compare prices on coconut and tea tree. I am going to apply John’s remedy an look forward to more comfort and healing. I think where we all have to take care is not to drop off the good habits just because we think it’s gone. I think I read somewhere the fungi can come back with a vengence. I don’t want that!!!!

If you would like to know the names and stores of any of the products I mentioned above use my Facebook, it’s open to all and use the message inbox. Even non-friends can use it. I’d be glad to help a fellow sufferer. Jack! “:-Dx

the coconut oil and tea tree oil and have no doubt it will do good. Here’s a

thought, I put the mixture in the freeze for a minute to get it back to a paste.

Maybe applying it cool would be nice. Oh, did I mention I stood in the tub and used

ice on the area. Yes, it felt relief and you should try it if you are about to go